Spring-wheel.



I. J. MERRILL.

SPRING WHEEL.

uruoumu 111.111) my 5, 1910. nmuwnn 11110.7, 1911.

1,039,31 1, Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

a 1'5 svweutoz I. J. MERRILL.

SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAYS, 1910. RENEWED DBO. 7, 1911.

Patented Sept. 24, 19.12.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRA J. MERRILL, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR. OF ONE-HALF TO 0. A.BENBOW,

OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

srnmmwnnnn.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Sept. 24, 1 are.

Application filed Kay 5, 1910, Serial No. 559,461. Renewed December 7,1911. Serial No. 664.192.

' POr-tland, in the county of Multnomah'and -der t e hub lighter.

State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSpring-VVheels; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in spring wheels.

The object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed andefiicient spring wheel in which the spokes are firmly held at the huband provided with a movable joint at the tire connection thereto toprovide movement whichtakes place in the elastic action bf the springsteel spoke.

Another object is to provide a spring wheel which is perfectly rigidwith regard to dishing.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts aswill be more fully described and particularly pointed out in theappended claim.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheelconstructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevationpartly in section on an enlarged scale of the hub taken on the line 33of Fig. 4; Fig. 4 is an edge view of the hub with the spokesshown insection; Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken through the end of aspring spoke at its connection with the tire; Fig. 6 is a detail bottomplan view on an enlarged scale showing the connection of one of thespring spokes with the tire; Fig. 7 is a side view thereof; and, Fig. 8is a side elevation of one of the tire bolts detached.

In the embodiment illustrated a hub 1 is referably cast in one piecehaving bolt oles 2 extending longitudinall therethrough preferably nearits periphery and with ortions cutout as shown at 3 to ren- A hub cap 4is provided witha pluralit clamping bolts as 5 are designed to pass forof bolt holes ar-' ranged to register wit the holes 2in the body of thehub and through which the clamping the spokes in the hub as will behereinafter described. This hub 1 is provi'ded with a plurality of spokechannels 6 which extend in a plane tan entiallylo the axle bushing 7,the inner an 5 8 of said channels being formed at an obtuse angle andcommunicate with the portion 6 of the channels to provide for. the innerend of each spoke resting firmly against the adja cent spoke as is shownin Fig. 3-which prevents any inward movement of the spokes when actedupn by the pressure of the load being carried. Any desired number ofthese 'channels'maybe provided, six being here shown. These channels arepreferably made slightly shallower than the width of the spokes to beinserted therein to permit the cap 4 to be drawn firmly against theedges of the spokes and insuring their being suitably held rigidly inplace against any sidewise movement. A plurality of flat spring steel sokes 9 which preferably taper in thickness rom their inner toward theirouter ends have their inner ends bent at an obtuse angle to fit withinthe channels of the hub and this bend in the inner ends of the spokesand the channels in which they are inserted prevents any outwardmovement of the s okes should a pull be exerted in that direction andwhen the hub cap 4 is clamped into operative position these s okes areheld absolutely rigid the channe s being cored sufiiciently close toprovide a positive fitting of the spoke but in case the openings in thechannels should become enlarged from any reason the spoke may be securedrigidly therein by using hot babbitt after it has been placed inposition. It will be obvious that when it is desired to renew one of thespokes it is only necessary to unclamp the cap 4 and slip the spoke outedgewise supplying the new one in its place and then reclamping the cap.

The tire 10 of this improved wheel may be of any suitable or desiredform and is preferably provided with annular flanges on the peri herythereof between which is mounted a ru ber tire 11.. This tire 10 isprovided aroimd its innerifafee with a plurality of laterally spacedapertured -ears as 12 and 13 to which the outer ends of the springspokes 9 are designed to be connected. The aperture in one of thelaterally spaced ls or ears 12 or 13 is preferably screw threa ed toreceive the reduced threaded end 15 wheel bpokes are held perfect l vrigid against 5 the purpose of a lock nut.

'16 of the tire holt an 17 and this threaded end projects beyond theouter face of the lug having the screw threaded aperture and is providedwith a nut as 18 which serves The outer ends of the SPOlQS 9 are bent toterm eyes as 1: whieh encircle brass bushings as 20 which are mounted onthe bolts 17 between the inner Fares of the, lug: l2 and spring spokesare piur-tallv eonneeted with the tire.

From the eomtruetion shown and deaerihed it will he ohvious that the Hatspring la eral movement and all danger ot' their wearing loose at anypoint exeept at; their eonneetiou with the tire avoided and at thispoint the parts may be easily renewed and replaced this constructionalso'providine flexibility in line with the flat sides of the spokes.

From the foregoing description taken in eonneetion with the aeeompan ingdrawings, the construction and operation of the invention will hereadily understood without requiring a more extended explai'iation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may he reeortedto without departing from the prineiple orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined in thepended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A spring wheel comprising a hub provided ith a plurality of spokeehannels extending for a portion of their length in planes tazrgentially to the axle box thereof and ha ring their inner ends bentoutwardly at an obtuse angle and eomniunitatting with the tangezrt'ially arranged portion of the adjat'rnt ehannel, a plurality of thatSpring steel spokes tapering in thieknew from their inner toward theirouter ends with th ir hotly portions; eurre-l outwardly throughout thegreat part 01" their lengths and the inner ends of said spokeslit-ingbent to eontorni to the shape of the (lizllll'ielS in the huh,the terminala ot' the inner ends of the respeetive spokes ahuttinejagainst the inner faces of the adjacent spokes, means tor rigidlyconnerting said SPUl'Itb within said huh and means for pirotallyeonneeting' the outer ends of said spokes to the wheel tire. intestimony whereof I have hereunto et my hand in presenee ol' twovnihwrilline witnesses.

\Vit nesses:

i. J. S'riuxxic'rz, It. V. Kottn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

